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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · mate · mark · craft · bulb · wake · row · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mate — to breed
  10. craft — boats
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cue — a hint
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mate — a partner
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mark — a grade
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com